Media

Labor Ignores Swan Hill Rail Commuters

Thursday 1st December 2016

Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan has shown complete disrespect to regional rail commuters on in the Murray Plains Electorate with her announcement this week on additional services according to Leader of The Nationals and Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh.

“The Minister promised 80 new regional services across the state, but has given us nothing,” he said.

Mr Walsh said that the Swan Hill line is a vital link for specialist medical appointments, work, business and education.

“The Labor government has again displayed an apathetic attitude to the basic needs of people living in the north of the state beyond Bendigo.

“This is a typical announcement from a city-centric government that has no interest in ensuring you can get from A to B if you live outside Melbourne.”

Mr Walsh said The Regional Network Development Plan was released earlier this year amid great fanfare from Minister Allan.

“We were told it was to be built from local ideas about what our local communities needed from public transport.

“People attended the local sessions in good faith. They identified as key issues a need for improved connectivity between rural towns and centres, more reliability of train services to Melbourne, additional train carriages to boost capacity and improved journey time to Melbourne.

“I think it would be fair to say that as a community we are gobsmacked to find that the only change that has come from what the Labor government lauded as “community consultation” is one slight timing adjustment to the Friday service from Melbourne to Swan Hill.

“Daniel Andrews and his Minister have shown a total disregard to our representations.

“They are treating us with contempt - a whole lot of talk but very little action,” Mr Walsh said.